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NUMBER: 7-6-1 APPROVED DATE: 05-01-1985

BASED ON POLICY NUMBER AND TITLE: 2-13-0 EP 5: ASSET PROTECTION

Purpose: To provide guidelines to be followed by all Trident Technical College faculty and staff, regarding the use of any college owned vehicle; to provide preventative maintenance and repair of TTC vehicles at established time and mileage intervals. Vehicles covered under this policy include cars, trucks, vans and golf carts.

  1. Vehicle Information:  Facilities Management will maintain up-to-date and accurate information on all TTC owned vehicles including  year, make, model, vehicle identification and license plate numbers along with departmental vehicle assignment.
  2. Initial Inspection:  The designated supervisor in Facilities Management must ensure each new or used vehicle purchased is given an initial inspection, assigned a number, properly recorded in the work order system, and placed in a preventative maintenance system before turning the vehicle over to the department responsible for the assigned vehicle.  All repairs identified on a used vehicle must be completed before the designated supervisor in Facilities Management turns it over to the department responsible for that vehicle.  
  3. Preventative Maintenance:   The Facilities Management mechanic will perform weekly vehicle checks on all cars, trucks, and vans except those permanently assigned to Public Safety.  Public Safety will check basic operator maintenance on their vehicles weekly using a checklist prepared by the Facilities Management mechanic, and will report any problems to the Facilities Management designated supervisor, who will schedule needed repairs or adjustments.  The Facilities Management designated supervisor will schedule preventative maintenance at designated intervals, typically 3000 miles or 3 months and will notify departments when it is time to bring their vehicles in for preventative maintenance inspection.  The Facilities Management mechanic will give each vehicle a thorough inspection, change oil, and filters and makes any necessary repairs.  All maintenance costs will be charged to the motor pool account.
  4. Repairs:  Any needed repairs are to be  reported to Facilities Management by the user of the vehicle.  The mechanic will determine what repairs are needed and if they can be performed in house or need to be outsourced to a local vendor.  Facilities Management will keep a record of all repairs  in the maintenance management system.  All repair costs are charged to the motor pool account.
  5. Mileage:  Each department is responsible for keeping monthly mileage (beginning of the month  and end of month).  These are to be given to the Facilities Management designated supervisor who will log the mileage in and submit a mileage report on a Journal Voucher to Finance showing each department's mileage charges.  If a department uses a vehicle assigned to a different department the using department must fill out a Trip Ticket (Form T3-48) and this mileage is also to be submitted by the Facilities Management Supervisor on the monthly Journal Voucher.  The Finance Department will allocate mileage to the division allocation accounts at the end of the fiscal year using the rates specified by the Comptroller General.   This procedure will properly allocate the costs as required by the SBTCE Financial Reporting Guide.
  6. Credit card charges:  Each vehicle is assigned a credit card for fuel purchases only.  The credit card receipts are to be turned in monthly to the Facilities Management designated supervisor or to the Administrative Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs.
  7. Keys:   Facilities Management  will retain 2 sets of keys for each vehicle in a lock box and each department is issued two sets of keys for each vehicle assigned to the department.
  8. 15 Passenger Van Usage:
    1. Use of this van is for in-state travel only without the Presidents approval in advance.
    2. The driver of the van or one of the passengers must possess a South Carolina State purchasing card that can be used for emergency vehicle repairs occurring outside the tri-county area.  The cardholder must contact Facilities Management's designated personnel or the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs for repair authorization, indicating repairs necessary, and the vendor who will be making the repairs. In the event a vehicle needs to be rented due to problems with the van that cannot be resolved quickly the driver should contact the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs.
    3. Reservations for use are made through the Vice President for Education designated administrative personnel.  The employee that will be driving the van must submit his/her driver's license number to the Vice President of Academic Affairs so the  driver's current status with the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles can be determined.  
    4. No more than nine passengers under the age of 18 may travel in the van at any time.
    5. No more than 14 passengers and 1 driver may travel in the van at any time.
    6. A Trip Ticket will be issued along with keys and a gas card when the van is picked up for use.  The Trip Ticket must be filled out completely including account code, date, mileage, number of passengers, destination, and signature of the driver.
    7. Mileage will be allocated as indicated in paragraph 5 above.
    8. The van must be picked up and returned to Facilities Management in Building 600 during normal operational hours, 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.  If the van needs to be picked up or returned outside of these hours it will need to be picked up and/or returned to the Public Safety Department.  Public Safety will have keys, trip ticket, and gas card for pick up and each of these items need to be turned into Public Safety when returning the van.
  9. Vehicle Rentals:  When a vehicle is needed for college travel, the person requesting the vehicle must contact the rental vehicle liaison designated by the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs  who will make a reservation with a local vendor for vehicle use.  A credit card is issued for fuel only.
  10. Conditions of Use of TTC Owned or Leased Vehicles
    1. User must be a full time, part time, or temporary TTC faculty/staff employee with a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
    2. If an accident occurs on campus, the driver must notify the Public Safety department and the Facilities Management Transportation Supervisor as soon as possible.  The Facilities Management Transportation Supervisor will contact the Procurement Director for insurance purposes.  If the accident occurs off campus, the driver must contact local law enforcement so they can complete an accident report.  The driver should obtain the name of the responding police officer, if the police officer does not issue a FR-10 Form. If the vehicle is not drivable, the driver should inform the Facilities Management designated supervisor and the designated supervisor will call for a tow truck or give instructions for how to handle the situation.
    3. Facilities Management and Receiving and Inventory Control vehicles are to be secured in Building 600 compound when not being used and after hours.  Public Safety, Culinary Arts, and Film Production vehicles are to be secured in designated areas.
    4. Vehicles owned by the college are assigned for college use only.
    5. When used for travel within Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties, TTC vehicles should be picked up and returned on campus and not kept overnight at a private residence unless the driver has written permission from the driver's Vice President.
    6. Smoking is NOT allowed in TTC vehicles.
  11. Change in Driving Privileges Status:
    1. Supervisors are required to screen the driving record of all employees who are required to operate state vehicles as part of their job responsibilities and other job duties. Supervisors will screen these employees every six months for suspensions of driving privileges.  Supervisors will conduct this screening by utilizing the SCDMV Online Driver’s Record Points & Status resource (https://www.scdmvonline.com/dmvpublic/trans/DRecPoints.aspx).  Supervisors must maintain documentation of this screening.  However, employees who are required to operate a state vehicle for any reason, must immediately self report to their supervisor any suspensions or violations affecting their driver’s license or driving privileges and provide any documentation relating to the event. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
    2. Affected Employees:
      All employees required to operate state vehicles (including golf carts) as part of their job responsibilities.

Updated: 10-08-2010

Updated: 06-21-2017

Updated: 08-10-2020